Introduction: Setting the Stage
Rwanda has long been recognized as a trailblazer in digital health innovation, pioneering initiatives that have transformed health service delivery and data use. Yet, as the Ministry of Health (MoH) and its partners often emphasize, systems are only as strong as the leaders who drive them. Technology alone does not transform healthcare – it is the vision, skills, and collaboration of people that make the difference.
To address this critical gap, Rwanda joined the Digital Health Applied Leadership Program (DHALP) — a pan-African initiative designed to strengthen leadership capacity for digital health. Funded by the Global Fund through Digital Square at PATH, DHALP is implemented by HELINA (Health Informatics in Africa) and delivered in Rwanda by the Rwanda Health Informatics Alliance (RHIA) in close partnership with the Ministry of Health. It is supported by PATH, TechChange, and the Raiser Resource Group.
After six transformative months, Rwanda successfully certified 19 digital health leaders, drawn from MoH and affiliated institutions, who are now better equipped to steer the country’s health sector through digital transformation.
About DHALP: A Leadership Program Like No Other
DHALP is not a typical training program. It is a blended model that combines technical knowledge, leadership coaching, and applied learning projects, ensuring that participants build both the “hard” and “soft” skills required to lead digital health transformation.
The program rests on three pillars:
- Digital Health: Planning National Systems (DHPNS)
– Governance, policy, and enterprise architecture
– Standards & interoperability
– Digital health design & system thinking
– Data security and adoption strategies
- Leadership & Coaching (Led by Raiser Resource Group)
– Adaptive leadership
– Stakeholder engagement and influence
– Project management and prioritization
– Communication for leaders
– Individual coaching tailored to participants’ growth areas - Applied Learning Projects (Country-Specific)
– Each team designed and implemented a project rooted in national priorities.
– Rwanda prioritized: cybersecurity awareness, standards & interoperability, and patient engagement through digital tools.
Complementing these were elective deep dives chosen by Rwanda:
– Cybersecurity for leaders
– Standards for digital health leadership
The Learning Journey: From February to September 2025
Rwanda’s DHALP journey unfolded through an intensive blend of in-person sessions, online modules, coaching, and peer exchanges.
– February–March 2025: Recruitment of 20 participants (from MoH, RISA, RBC, RMS, RFDA) and program onboarding.
– Session 1 – Kick-off, leadership foundations, and technical deep dives into governance and standards.
– Session 2 – Focus on interoperability, enterprise architecture, and applied project planning.
– Session 3 – Cybersecurity awareness, mid-review of applied projects, and continued coaching.
– Session 4 – Final presentations, evaluations, and graduation.
Between these sessions, participants engaged in:
– TechChange online modules (self-paced + live sessions)
– Coaching with Raiser Resource Group (individual and group)
– Cross-country peer learning with Zambia and Burkina Faso
Highlights and Insights from Rwanda Cohort
- Gender and Leadership: Women and men participated equally, with specific discussions addressing barriers women face in digital health leadership — ensuring inclusivity in mentoring and applied learning
- Collaboration across institutions: For the first time, professionals from MoH, RISA, RMS, RFDA, and RBC worked together intensively on projects, strengthening inter-agency cooperation.
- Practical Application: Participants developed projects directly tied to Rwanda’s digital health strategy, bridging classroom knowledge with real-world challenges.
Personal Transformation: Several participants reported greater confidence, visibility, and stakeholder engagement skills.
– “I’ve already used stakeholder mapping tools from the leadership session to address coordination challenges in my unit.” – Rwanda Participant
The Outcome: Building Rwanda’s Digital Health Leaders
By September 2025, 19 leaders had successfully completed the program. They now represent a new generation of digital health leadership, capable of:
– Influencing policy and governance
– Driving secure and interoperable systems
– Managing digital health projects with adaptive leadership
– Collaborating across institutions and borders
These leaders are now part of a broader Pan-African DHALP Alumni Network, connecting Rwanda with peers from Zambia and Burkina Faso.
Looking Ahead: Sustainability and Alumni Engagement
Graduation is not the end, but the beginning. Next steps include:
– Establishing an alumni network for continued mentorship and collaboration.
– Supporting applied projects beyond DHALP, ensuring real-world implementation.
– Encouraging DHALP graduates to mentor the next wave of digital health professionals in Rwanda.
Conclusion: A Success Story for Rwanda and Africa
DHALP Rwanda is proof that investing in people is the most powerful driver of digital transformation. By blending technical expertise with leadership development, the program has created a cadre of leaders ready to build sustainable, inclusive, and resilient digital health systems. With 19 certified leaders, Rwanda now stands at the forefront of digital health leadership in Africa — ready to share insights, inspire peers, and strengthen systems across the continent.
